Monday, May 4, 2009

Time to put the lid back on the frame!!!!!

It's about time we finish up all the underbelly projects and set the shell back on the trailer. One of the projects to finish up was painting the wheels. I picked out some auto paint that looks good with our future Zip Dee awning color, Tuscan. The awning is a dark orange color, so I picked a strong orange for the wheels.

As usual, it took longer to sand and mask the wheels than it did to spray.

I really like the color I picked, which is not usual for me. More often, I labor with the decision I'm making and immediately second guess it after it's done. Not this time. I've taken some ribbing for the orange, but I know it will look good with baby moon hubcaps and bright polished aluminum...

Saturday morning E and I headed to the shop to assess what needed to get finished up so we could get 'shell back on' party started. He'll keep an eye on the truck while I get to work...

Frame is looking good!

The last piece of belly skin to install is the front piece.

Like with the rear sheet, I needed a specialist to pull off the curve.

With the belly skin finally installed and fully riveted in place, we installed the axle.

Really not the easiest thing to bolt in place, but it eventually go. Fit like a glove too!

After dinner and helping my mom get the boys to bed (thanks, Mom!!), Katie and I returned to the shop. Roughly two months of steady work, we are ready to set the shell back into place.

After rolling the frame under the shell, we got it secured blocked in place. Next, we moved the weight of the shell onto the trailer frame and removed the sawhorses.

As we were getting ready to lower the shell, Norm and Jeff showed up to help. Jeff had brought Norm and Mary's '59 Overlander up from San Diego earlier that day. It was great to have some extra hands.

There was some trimming of C channel just like the original.

All in all, the shell was fitting pretty well. We voted to call it a night on the trailer and find a watering hole in West Seattle.

The next morning, Fred dropped by to lend a hand. We decided to rock the shell to one and cleco shell to the curbside wheel well. Then we set the other side down and basically wedged the other side in place. Took some wiggling, but it worked out really well.

Emmett was so happy, he danced a little jig.

More importantly for him, it was time to stop working on the trailer and go the the Mariners game with our family and Fred's family. What's better than baseball...

Moving along very nicely. A little polishing this weekend should slow you down. I'd make some obnoxious comment about Marcus' taste in team colors, but a) my team has fallen on hard times as of late, and b) purple and gold are likewise pretty garish. Go Dawgs!